The present invention relates to carry bags, and, more particularly, to a combined closure and carry mechanism for a cinching bag.
In the art of knapsacks, backpacks and cinching bags, a variety of strap designs and closure mechanisms have been used. Many such bags employ discrete mechanisms for the closure and the carry strap. The closure may comprise a zipper, button, magnetic catch, corded cinch, or other mechanism. The carry strap may include one or two shoulder straps affixed to the upper and lower margins of the bag.
In bags that use cinching mechanisms to close an aperture, one or two loops are threaded through a flexible channel that surrounds the aperture. An exposed portion of the loop or loops is pulled to draw the flexible channel inwardly and close the aperture. FIG. 1 illustrates one known double-looped cinching bag 100 in which two loops 110, 120 are drawn in opposite directions to cinch closed the neck 130 of the bag. One end of the webbing that defines the loop is stitched to the webbing at 140 to define a certain size for each loop. The other end of the webbing extends downwardly to define carry strap portions 150, 160 which pass through a ring 170 and are each anchored to sliders 180 which are positionable along the respective carry strap portions. The sliders permit the length of the carry strap portions 150, 160 to be independently adjusted to suit the needs of its user. In FIG. 1, the sliders 180 are positioned proximate the stitching 140 so that the carry strap portions 150, 160 have their shortest effective length. In FIG. 2, the sliders have been repositioned along the webbing to provide the longest effective length carry strap portions 150, 160.
In this and other conventional arrangements in which the cinching and carry-strap functions are provided through a common webbing or corded arrangement, the cinch loops are fixed in size and sized to seat generally completely within the channel when the bag is open or uncinched. The problem with such a design is that the carry straps become quite long and unsightly when the bag is cinched (see FIG. 2). Further, at least two pieces of hardware are required for each strap to be adjusted in this manner.
What is needed in the art and heretofore has not been known is a combined closure and carry mechanism in which the cinching loop varies in size in response to adjustments in the carry strap. What is further needed is such a combined closure and carry mechanism which requires a minimum of hardware to provide both strap-length adjustment and a closure mechanism. The present invention satisfies these and other needs.
The invention provides a dual-action mechanism for combined carry-strap and bag-closure adjustments. The arrangement of elements in the combined combined closure and carry mechanism minimizes the hardware and webbings or cords needed to achieve these functions.
In one aspect, the invention concerns a combined adjustable closure and carry mechanism for a bag of the type having a flexible channel around an aperture. The mechanism includes a slider and a single piece of webbing having first and second ends. The first end of the webbing is affixed to the bag while the second end is affixed to the slider. The webbing has portions intermediate the first and second ends which pass through the slider and which also pass through the flexible channel. The slider is slidably positionable along the webbing to affect both closure of the bag and adjustment of the length of the carry straps.
In another aspect, the invention concerns a combined adjustable closure and carry mechanism for a bag having a double-loop closure mechanism for cinching the bag. Such a bag includes a flexible channel surrounding an aperture, and two draw cords or webs for closing the same. This mechanism comprises first and second sliders and first and second webbings. The first webbing has a first end affixed to the bag and a second end affixed to the first slider. The first webbing also has portions intermediate the first and second ends which pass through the first slider and through the flexible channel. The second webbing has a first end affixed to the bag and a second end affixed to the second slider. The second webbing similarly has portions intermediate the first and second ends which pass through the second slider and through the flexible channel.
These and other aspects of the invention can be appreciated from the following Brief Description of the Drawings and Detailed Description of a Preferred Embodiment.